Wildfires in California rightfully dominated the beverage news cycle last week, but there were plenty of other stories in the sip-o-sphere. Tea now comes in G&T flavor and Coke is now available in coffee flavors. The French are debating a massive beverage tax and the Scots have sold their most expensive whisky line–ever. Read on for all the news.

Spirits

• After four years on the shelf, the Dalmore Paterson Collection of Scotch whiskies sold for £987,500 (about US$1.3m). The sale is believed to be highest prices fetched by whisky. (The Drinks Business)
• The French government is debating a massive tax increase on sodas as well as any beverage with an ABV over 40%. The surcharge would affect French favorites like Pastis, Chartreuse, and Cognac plus classics like brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskies. (theLocal.fr)
• Gin & Tonic teabags are now a thing. (Actually, it’s just green tea mixed with several of the florals and aromatics typically found in the popular mixed drink.) (Cosmo)
• Heaven Hill is dropping $25m to build out their distillery. The expansion will increase production by 33% and make HH’s site the largest bourbon producer in the world.(Insider Louisville)

Wine

• The news in the wine world was all about the devastating wildfires in Napa and Sonoma last week. Neat Pour took a look at ways to help and the fate of the 2017 vintage.
• The Mercury News has the most comprehensive coverage of the fires that we’ve found.
• In the most perfect NPR fashion, the beloved radio outlet is now overanalyzing their own NPR Wine Club. Here’s their Ombudsman’s take not the marketing. Fresh air, indeed! (NPR)
• Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! wine. Dr. Steve Brule, a fan favorite played by John C. Reilly, is the raison d’être behind Las Jaras Wines’ ‘Sweet Berry Wine’. (Food & Wine)

Beer

• In Colorado, the Brewers’ Association is taking some jabs at Anheuser-Busch InBev. The “Take Craft Back” campaign features video spots poking at Big Beer as well as a crowd sourced funding campaign to raise the $213m that it would cost to buy A-B.
• Smithsonian Mag has a cool piece about the rise of Taiwan’s craft beer scene after the industry was privatized.
• 2013 web fad, the Cooler Cannon is back. Wizened by age and a failed crowd funding attempt, inventor, Derek Hoy just unveiled a new cooler that shoots beers to the thirsty at the touch of a a button. (Digital Trends)

Coffee

• Coffee families and farms were among Hurricane Maria’s millions of victims. NPR took a good look at the storm’s fallout in coffee communities.
• We took a look at some new, weird coffee flavors: coke, garlic, Buffalo sauce. (Neat Pour)
• ICYMI: Aubree Nichols’ “Coffee is my Cocaine” essay is making the rounds on the web. (The Week)